Tiger of the WeekLynwood "Schoolboy" Rowe
Rowe was a key part of the Tigers 1934 and 35 pennant winners, appearing in more games than any other pitcher (45) as both a starter (30) and reliever. That year he posted a 24-8 record with a 3.45 ERA. At one point he won 16 straight games.
A fan favorite (particularly of youngsters for whom he never seem to tire of signing autographs), Rowe was among the game's better hitting pitchers. He is tied at 15th place for home runs among pitchers with 16. His lifetime OPS+ was 87 - very respectable for a pitcher. He actually was above average in 1934 (102) and 1935 (119). He led the NL in pinch hits in 1943.
"Beaten by a schoolboy"
Rowe, a strapping 6'4", 220 pounder, excelled at not only baseball, but football, track, boxing, golf and shooting. He supposedly acquired his nickname when he was pitching for a semipro team in his hometown of El Dorado, Arkansas. With a 15 year old Rowe on the mound, the team defeated a team composed of retired major leaguers. The visitors were taunted by shouts that they had been beaten by "a schoolboy" by the delighted local fans.
"Gimme the Ball"
Rowe was dominant in 1934, at one point winning 16 straight games. One of his most important wins came in the second game of a double header in New York. Rowe had already pitched the first game of a double header the day before. The Tigers had lost the second game that day, and had lost the first game of this double header. Needing to break even in the series to maintain their slim lead over the Yanks for first place, Tigers manager challenged his pitching staff. "Can't anyone beat these baboons?" he shouted. Rowe replied "If no one else wants it, I'll take. Gimme the Ball." Cochrane hurled the ball at Rowe. Rowe responded, "A word of advice to you Mike. You better put some extra sponges in your glove because I'm gonna burn off your hands." Rowe shutout the Yankees 3-0 for his second win in as many days.
"How am I doin' Edna?"
Rowe was teased by other players throughout the 1934 season when, during a radio broadcast, he asked his high school sweetheart (and future wife), Edna Skinner , (see photo) "How am I doin, Edna, honey?" The phrase became famous and was parroted back to him by amused players on opposing teams throughout the season.
A superstitious man, Rowe may have preceeded Mark Fydrych as the first Tigers to talk to the ball. When asked to explain his success during his 16 game winning streak (a mark that put him in a league with Walter Johnson, Lefty Grove and Smokey Joe Wood), he answered "I eat a lot of vittles, climb that mound, wrap my fingers around the old baseball and say to it 'Edna honey, let's go.'"
Rowe pitched for the Tigers between 1933 and 1942 when he was traded to Brooklyn. He spent the remainder of 1942 with the Dodgers, and was then traded to the Phillies, where he pitched in 1943 and then 1946-1949. Rowe was injured for several seasons, and spent time in the minors, but always managed to come back for another solid season.
Rowe had some very solid seasons with the Tigers in the beginning of his career (1933-1935) but also had limited playing time later in the decade. He appeared in three All Star games, and was in the top 10 in the league in WHIP (walks and hits per inning) 5 times. After retiring, Rowe rejoined the Tigers organization, serving as manager of their minor league team in Williamsport, a scout, and ultimately the Tigers' pitching coach.
Rowe was elected to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1961.
www.baseball-reference.com
Zacharias, "Schoolboy Rowe, the Tigers' Southern Gentleman," Detroit News
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